1. Field Of the Invention
This invention is directed to a golf ball washing system for washing large numbers of golf balls for a driving range or the like, and more particularly to such a system in which golf balls in a bin are picked up and fed by a conveyor up an inclined ramp past a pair of reciprocating brushes and a spray nozzle and then selectively returned for further washing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Operators of golf driving ranges and other establishments, such as large miniature golf course complexes and the like, are faced with the problem of collecting golf balls after they are used by customers and cleaning the collected balls for further use. Golf balls used in golf driving ranges in particular tend to get very dirty and are often covered with grass and mud stains. A large driving range can collect and redistribute literally thousands of golf balls during a single day. An efficient system for cleaning these collected balls is absolutely necessary since driving range customers desire and expect clean golf balls.
Numerous attempts have been made to produce a suitable golf ball washer for driving ranges and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,058 to Knudsen teaches a bin into which a quantity of water and a plurality of golf balls are placed. A rotary wheel with a number of ball partitions spins through the bin and picks up golf balls. A cooperating rotary brush then brushes the balls in the wheel, which are then returned to the bin. U.S. Pat. No. 3,120,669 to Montuori teaches a tumbling and scrubbing drum with "scrubbing bars" through which dirty balls are passed for cleaning. U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,633 to Gustarson teaches a ball cleaning apparatus with a rotating drum in which a pair of opposing brushes clean balls placed into the drum. U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,183 to Gustafson et al. also teaches a ball washer with a scrubbing drum. A spray system sprays the balls as they are fed into the drum from a hopper. U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,996 to Hollrock teaches a golf ball scrubbing drum with a helical ball feeder for feeding golf balls through a scrubbing chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,114 to Thrasher teaches a golf ball washer with a brush rotating in a water tank. A helical steel band feeds balls past the brush. U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,251 to Hollrock teaches a golf ball washer with a wire basket hopper which feeds balls into a drum containing rotating brushes. A plurality of track segments feed the balls past the brushes and out of the drum.
In virtually all of the prior art golf ball washers, the action of a rotary drum, a rotary brush, or both is used to clean the golf balls. Often the balls are fed only once through the apparatus and, if they are not cleaned sufficiently, must be loaded and fed through again. Furthermore, the rotary action of the drums and/or brushes tends to damage the balls by smashing them into each other and to abrasive particles of sand and debris at high speeds. This can shorten the useful life of driving range balls, which can represent a substantial expense. Lastly, most prior art washers are at least partially enclosed, making it nearly impossible to determine when the balls are cleaned sufficiently, even when a recirculating system is included.
It is apparent, then, that a golf ball washer which solves the above-mentioned problems is needed. Such a washer should have a recirculating system so that the balls can be washed until clean, should avoid a rotary action which tends to damage the balls and reduce their useful life, and should make the cleaning process visible so that an operator can readily determine when the recirculating balls have been sufficiently cleaned.